Helms-burton Bill Becomes Law

Clinton Promises To Help Democracy Hit Cuban Shores

March 13, 1996|By JILL YOUNG MILLER Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON - — In honor of the four men killed when the Cuban government shot down their civilian planes last month, President Clinton on Tuesday signed into law a bill to tighten the U.S. trade embargo on Cuba and discourage foreign investment on the island.

Cuban MiGs shot down Armando Alejandre Jr., Carlos Costa, Mario de la Pena and Pablo Morales on Feb. 24 while they were flying two Cessnas for the Miami-based Brothers to the Rescue exile group.

"In their memory, I will continue to do everything I can to help the tide of democracy that has swept our entire hemisphere finally, finally reach the shores of Cuba," Clinton said.

The president spoke to a mostly Cuban-American audience invited to the White House for the signing of the Helms-Burton bill, now called the Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity Act of 1996.

Packed into a briefing room, the crowd of about 150 included family members of the fliers, Cuban-American leaders from Miami and former political prisoners in Cuba.

The legislation "sends a strong message to the Cuban government we will not tolerate attacks on United States citizens, and we will stand with those both inside and outside Cuba who are working for a peaceful transition to freedom and democracy," Clinton said.

The Senate and House overwhelmingly approved the bill last week, despite protests from members who said it would alienate important U.S. trade allies and do nothing to drive out President Fidel Castro.

But Rep. Dan Burton, R-Ind., who co-sponsored the bill, said foreign investments in Cuba "are already starting to dry up" because of the sanctions, robbing Castro of needed cash to keep his government alive.

Surrounded by Democratic and Republican supporters of the bill on Tuesday, Clinton pressed on.

"This bill continues our bipartisan effort to pursue an activist Cuba policy, an effort that began some four years ago with the Cuban Democracy Act," he said. "Under the provisions of that legislation, our administration has encouraged Cuba's peaceful transition to democracy."

Clinton used many pens to sign the bill, then handed them out as souvenirs as the audience stood and applauded.

Later, members of Congress and two relatives of the downed fliers stepped before microphones outside the White House.

Shivering in a black coat, Marlene Alejandre looked into more than a dozenTV cameras and spoke - first in Spanish, then in English - of her father, Armando.

"I'm very proud of my father and the three other men, because they gave the ultimate sacrifice for what they believed in," she said.

Miriam de la Pena, who lost her 24-year-old son Mario in the tragedy, said: "The emotions are so many, it's difficult. President Clinton was very clear as to why he is now signing this bill. It's so hard to say, but I think if my son were alive today and he knew that this would bring to light what is happening in Cuba, he would do it again.